Zimbabwean film maker and creative theatre director Cont Mhlanga has died.
According to the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Executive Director Nicholas Moyo, Mhlanga was admitted in hospital 10 days ago and passed away this morning.
“It is with a heavy heart and intense sadness that the National Arts Council of Zimbabwe Board and Management announces to the nation and the Cultural and Creative Sectors in Zimbabwe and internationally the sad passing on of the legendary Cont Mdladla Mhlanga.
“Cont Mhlanga was admitted in hospital 10 days ago, whilst his situation seemed to stabilize, it took a different turn in the last three(3) days. Conte passed on this morning.
“Cont Mdladla Mhlanga was a playwright, filmmaker and creative director. His career in the cultural and creative industries began in 1982 when he formed Amakhosi which started as a youth karate club but switched to professional theatre in 1988.
“The nation will be informed of further details of the unfolding situation in due course, ” he said.
Mhlanga wrote more than 20 plays among them The Good President, The End,
Sinjalo, Children on Fire, and Vikela. He has three books to his name. He also adapted the
popular play Stitsha to a TV series. It featured the late Beater Mangethe. He will also be remembered for the TV drama series Amakorokoza which aired on ZBC TV in the early 2000s.
Popularly referred to by many as ‘khulu’, Mhlanga made ZBC TV worth watching back in
the days with his ‘Umkhlu lomsebenzi’ productions. He also made Friday’s worth looking
forward to in Bulawayo as the cultural centre hosted a ‘Friday Live at Amakhosi’ where
live music bands would perform. Alick Macheso and late Tongai Moyo are some of the
artistes who performed there.
Competitions such as Dreams to Fame discovered young talent as this was a platform for
up-and-coming artistes.
